Kenneth Cockrel Jr. will serve as executive director of the Detroit Future City implementation team. / Rob Widdis/Special to the Free Press

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Detroit Free Press Business Writer

Former Detroit City Council president and onetime mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. will serve as executive director of the Detroit Future City implementation team starting Jan. 6.

In his new role, Cockrel will oversee about 10 staffers charged with moving ahead the recommendations of Detroit Future City, the visionary road map for Detroit revitalization that was released to fanfare last January.

That plan calls for widespread use of green landscape strategies — including urban agriculture, reforestation and rainwater retention ponds —in areas of the city with large-scale vacancy. The report also concluded that Detroit should concentrate redevelopment efforts in parts of the city that already show some economic strength.

The effort to implement these recommendations is being supported by a range of donors including the Kresge Foundation.

But it remained unclear how Cockrel’s role and the Detroit Future City effort in general fits into the economic development plans of Mayor-elect Mike Duggan. Duggan generally spoke well of Detroit Future City during his election campaign, but he has made clear that he expects to control economic development activities from within the mayor’s office, not through outside boards or organizations.

“Detroit is at a pivotal moment in its history, and the Detroit Future City strategic framework presents us with an exciting opportunity to rethink, reshape and rebuild our city,” said Cockrel. “I am honored to be able to continue serving the residents and neighborhoods of Detroit as we work with our partners to improve the quality of life in Detroit by carrying out the recommendations of the strategic framework.”

Among other changes at the Detroit Future City implementation office, Dan Kinkead, hired in May as director of the office, now will serve as director of projects. Heidi Alcock, hired in May as a senior program manager, will be director of operations. Carrie Lewand-Monroe, hired in March as public assets manager, will be director of policy.

“Seven short months ago, Dan Kinkead and Heidi Alcock were hired to turn the idea of a long-term strategic framework into real projects with real results,” said George W. Jackson Jr., president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., which oversees the implementation office. “They’ve navigated a demanding start-up process, and their talent and determination have produced strong results in a very short period of time.

“By bringing Ken on board now, the implementation office’s leadership team is in a great position to have an even greater impact in 2014,” Jackson said.

While Jackson’s organization serves as the fiscal sponsor for the implementation office on a daily basis, a newly formed steering committee of community, business, government, nonprofit and foundation stakeholders will offer the budding organization strategic advice.